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On my next guitar I'd like to bind the headstock in the Martin style with some curly maple . I know how to bind a guitar body (this will be my 8th guitar), but I was wondering how best to do it on the headstock, specifically how to handle corners and the area near the nut. Should I use my binding jig, or hand held with a bearing...? I would assume that the depth is about 1/8 inch....?

For wood binding of the head, some bending down near the nut is needed (or create a scarf/mitre joint) and for the top part a mitered or butt joint is needed. I've done this with ivory and wood, never plastic, and with either a hand-held cutter or a small trim router. It really isn't very hard to do. Somewhere on the site I have posted pictures of at least one example. The regular plastic binding is much easier and quicker in that it's a one-piece installation, esp. using Duco cement.

So....foredom tool with downcut bit up to a line...? Not sure I can be that accurate doing it manually....

I wouldn't attempt it freehand. Check with tippie53 (John) for a tool he has for foredom-like machines. Basically an adjustable fence is needed so you can precisely control vertical and horizontal dimensions.

I use the stewmac thing for a dremel and always test the setup at least twice.

Yes, I was thinking the adjustable router edge guide from stewmac (I already have the platform)......

that can work but be careful at the area right behind the nut there isn't much to ride the pilot on

How would you recommend to do it John...?

tippie53 wrote:that can work but be careful at the area right behind the nut there isn't much to ride the pilot on

Excellent cautionary advice!! I freehand the little curved area from the nut to the straight sides because the pilot usually doesn't help much...two hours worrying about it then 30 seconds doing it. I score the wood first so the limit is patently clear and use a 1/4" bit that I use for inlaying.

I hope John responds to your question; he is a master at this.

I bound the hdstk on a Martin style Blues Creek kit build, but don't recall what tool I used. Might have been my Porter Cable lam trimmer mounted in a tower jig I got from Tippie (or w/o tower?), since I wasn't using my Foredom back then. I do remember using Flame Maple binding with b/w/b trim from Stew-Mac. I cut the binding width down to the size required since it was too wide & mitered the corners w/ a little hobby-shop miter box & exacto saw...including the short piece that runs to the nut. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be. It was an after the fact move on my part because I wanted to continue the wooden binding theme up onto the hdstk from the fretboard binding & it was not in the orig plan.

What I didn't do was, run the b/w/b purfling alongside the fretboard like it is on the hdstk. Instead, b/w/b trim runs next to mahogany. So, it's an opposites' mistake :-)
As noted: Ere on the side of caution w/ your trimmer when creeping-up near the nut !

If you have a dremel tool or an inlay tool
A set the bit to the depth you need
B clamp a straight edge ( small piece of wood ) to the base to allow the width of cut.
C make a set up piece as you have to do this in 2 or 3 set ups and you can come back to that for reference
D make your cuts. I will often seal the headstock first to aid in less chipping

Another method is to make your headstock and drill at least 2 holes for location on the veneer and headstock
Don't trim the headstock but do shape the veneer.
Now you can cut the veneer taking off the excess off the binding. You can now bind the veener off the guitar. Glue it on and trim headstock to veneer.